LITTLE PROBLEMS GIVEAWAY!

                THE TIME HAS COME!

We at Little Problems are giving back to our friends just in time for Big/Little season. Follow the directions below be entered to win a Little Problems prize pack with multiple goodies from our collection. The giveaway will be live until Sunday, September 28th and you can share the giveaway (which will give you 2 entries) each day. We will be checking to confirm that our winner carried out all the tasks so be sure not to leave anything out! Feel free to email me if you have any questions at melissa.litprobs@gmail.com.

Ways to enter:

1. Like Little Problems on Facebook

2. Follow Little Problems on Twitter

3. Share the giveaway via this blog post

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Alternatives to a Netflix Binge

I hit a point this summer when I realized I needed to turn my life around. Five, six, even seven-hour-straight Netflix binges. My addiction was getting out of control! I'd already seen all the seasons of Gossip Girl, Orange is the New Black, and Bates Motel, and I couldn't find an episode of Law & Order: SVU that I hadn't seen already. There were no more "good" documentaries and I had resorted to watching strange indie films and French movies with subtitles.

You know when it's time to close the laptop and get a change of scenery, so here are some great alternatives to a Netflix binge! 

• Get some fresh air - I'm no doctor, but I'm sure that lying in your dark room, ten inches away from your computer screen can't be good for your health. It's time to go outside! Try going for a bike ride, a swim, or a jog. If cardio isn't your cup of tea, maybe try a picnic in the park, a car ride with all the windows down, anything! Just go soak up some Vitamin D, but don't forget your sunscreen. 

• Exercise your brain - After you've gotten your body up and moving, maybe you could work on your brain. Summer reading isn't just for high school students. We love reading here at Little Problems! Kelsey recently wrote a book review (check it out!). I also wrote about my personal summer reading list over on my blog. If you can't find the right book to read, try reading the newspaper or a magazine. I've started reading the New York Times this summer so that I could know what's going on around the world. If you're too busy, try following news sources like @HuffPost or @NYTimes on Twitter (After you go follow @LittleProblems, of course!). Also, theSkimm, a daily e-newsletter, actually manages to make reading about the news fun!

• Go shopping - Do we ever really need an excuse to hit the mall? There are such fun trends (here and here are a couple posts our reps have put together for you!) happening right now, so go check them out! Ross, Marshalls, and J.Crew Factory are my secret weapons for staying trendy on a budget. "But I'm broke! Negative dollars in my bank account!" you might be saying… That leads me to the next point...

• Get a job - If you don't already have a job, start looking (especially if you're in college already). I spent most of my summer babysitting or writing for my school's newspaper, so I rarely had time to waste away with Netflix. It's a great way to meet new people, build a killer resume, network, and make some money to buy those new threads or whatever else you have your eye on.

• Cook/Bake - Pinterest is full of recipes just waiting to be tested out! (Again, make sure you follow Little Problems!) My latest baking obsession? French macarons. You could bake enough tasty treats to invite your friends over! Who wouldn't want to hang out when you've got delicious homemade treats for bait? If your baking skills are a compete flop, bring friends to a local cafe or a Starbucks for sweet treats (chocolate croissants are sinfully delicious!). 

• Craft - What sorority girl doesn't love crafting? Coolers, canvases, paddles, the possibilities are endless! You can find tons of inspiration on our Pinterest and Tumblr pages! We're all about the crafts here at Little Problems so send an email in with your projects and they may be featured!

• Write Snail Mail - Nothing says class like a hand written letter. It's also much more personal than an email or a text. Maybe you know someone at school out of state, have a sister who's been feeling sick, or just a friend living across town. I guarantee you will make their day with a "just thinking of you" card. Bonus points for pretty penmanship on cute stationery!

• Plan a trip - I'm all about planning a trip (sometimes I even plan imaginary trips with millionaire-level budgets). Get some of your sisters together and plan a road trip! Some of my sisters recently drove to our national headquarters in Georgia and they looked like they had a ball. It can be cross country or just a short afternoon drive to a new town. With the right company, the journey is usually more fun than the destination.

While I won't be canceling my subscription any time soon, I have really gotten a lot out of logging off every once in a while. While watching McSteamy or Don Draper for hours on end is great, there are other ways to have a great time!

- Sydney

Cupcake Flavors That Should Exist

These aren't cupcakes that you can find at your local bakery, but they should be!

1. Name: He's Just Not That Into You
    Flavor: Wedding Cake - topped with buttercream frosting
    Perfect time to enjoy: Right after the guy of your dreams (or so you thought) breaks your heart. Not only will this cupcake flavor help mend your broken heart when you feel like all your hopes and dreams are crushed, but it will also help you realize that there may be a better guy out there who will make all those hopes and dreams come true. Spoiler alert: he's out there.
                                                                                   
2. Name: Finals Week
    Flavor: Nutty Buddy - chocolate nutty buddy frosting, filled with a peanut butter filling, topped with chocolate frosting, and garnished with a peanut butter drizzle and nutty buddies on top
    Perfect time to enjoy: The most stressful time in any college students life...finals week. If you're anything like me, it'd be nice during midterms, too.

3. Name: I Just Ran 3 Miles and Don't Want the Extra Calories
    Flavor:  Gluten Free Cherry Almond - cherry almond cake, topped with sugar-free cherry frosting and garnished with almonds)
    Perfect time to enjoy: Because both of those are healthy right? When you're being the good girl who goes to the gym while the rest of us go to McDonalds, but still needs a little something to satisfy her sweet tooth.

4. Name: Netflix
    Flavor: Red Velvet - filled with a cool whip cream cheese filling, topped with cream cheese frosting, with a cute little Netflix logo on top
    Perfect time to enjoy: Because Red Velvet is always a go-to flavor, just like Netflix is a go-to time filler.

6. Name: I had an 8 a.m.
    Flavor: Snickers - chocolate Snickers cake, filled with caramel, then topped with chocolate frosting and garnished with a Carmel drizzle and crushed Snickers
    Perfect time to enjoy: When you slept late and missed breakfast or, more importantly, Starbucks. Snickers are suppose to control hunger right? At least the sugar high will help.

While these goofy flavors technically do not exists, I'd bet you can find a mighty close recipe on Pinterest. You could even try whipping up a version of them yourself. Leave a comment below and let us know what your favorite cupcake flavor is!

- Ashley

The Common Misconceptions of Greek Life

Stereotype - noun - a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image of idea of a particular type of person or thing 

When I think of the word "stereotype" naturally my mind drifts to the many times I've watched movies like "The House Bunny" or "Legally Blonde" or the time I reluctantly watched the television show on TLC called "Sorority Girls". All of these portray sororities and Greek life in general as an understated group of people with shallow morals. The media even does a fine job of shining a negative light on Greek life, capturing only the bad and rarely the good. 

Being Greek myself and coming from a Greek family, I thought it would be unfair for me to preach about the common misconceptions I hear regularly. So, to make sure the common misconceptions were in fact authentic, I took it upon myself while writing this blog post to get an outside perspective on how non-Greeks view Greek life and here is what I found.

1. "Everything Greeks do revolves around partying in their house and getting drunk" - False. Each chapter of each Fraternity or Sorority has a national board overseeing their activity and regularly sending regional representatives to chapters do to check-ups. Granted we're in college and college students like to let loose on occasion but to say that Greeks only care about partying and getting drunk is like saying the football team only cares about pumping iron and getting jacked. There's much, much more to Greek organizations than what meets the eye.

2. "Greeks haze their new members" - Speaking from a sorority affiliated with NPC (National Panhellenic Conference) there are strict guidelines to determine what is considered "hazing" and what is not with the safety and well being of new members constantly in mind. If a chapter neglects to follow those rules and regulations the appropriate actions will be taken, including fines, the chapter being suspended, having their charter revoked, and even termination of the chapter as a whole. Additionally, why would you want to be a part of something that made you feel as though you are less amazing than you already are? The purpose of Greek life is to build you up, not break you down. 

Delta Zeta sisters showing their bid day t-shirts

3. "They are all the same" - Absolutely not. Each chapter is so incredibly unique because each chapter is made up of different girls. The only things that remain consistent from chapter to chapter is the respective values and traditions each individual sorority upholds. Yes, some sororities and chapters wear matching outfits during recruitment season or during a special time of year but the sole purpose of that is to be identified as unit, a group, a sorority - not because we are all identical clones of one another.

Alpha Omicron Pi sisters and campus rep KateLynn Dotson

4. "Daddy must pay for everything" - First, I would like to speak from my own experience - I have worked full or close to full time throughout my entire college career which, at this point, is going on 5 years. I have always been an extremely independent person and I would never rely on my parents to support my extra curricular activities or anything else in my life, I'm 22 years old. With that being said, I know hundreds of sorority women and fraternity gentlemen who are also working their way through college to pay for not only their chapter dues but their basic needs as well. 

5. "You pay for your friends" - I hear this one the most and it was no shock to me that I heard it again when asking non-Greeks how they feel about Greek life. Let me lay this out for you, any Greek organization is exactly that, an organization. You have to pay a membership fee for a variety of organizations so does that mean you're paying for your friends in organizations such as the environment club or colleges against cancer? No. Each chapter has a set amount of dues, a portion stays local to support the chapter and a portion goes to their national board to support their efforts. If your chapter has a house, there are house dues to pay as well for regular house maintenance. When I paid my first set of dues I didn't automatically have 100 new best friends. Friendships, like everything in life, take time and effort. It takes time to form those deep connections and no amount of money could ever "pay" for that. 

Kappa Tau Epsilon sisters, Olivia, Nicole, and Kaitlyn (me!) - bonding at a formal event

6. "You will never get a "real world" job being in a Greek organization" - This misconception really threw me for a loop because being Greek has taught me so much more about myself than I could have ever imagined. I've learned and polished my time management skills, social skills, speaking skills, marketing skills, conflict resolving skills, team building skills, team work skills, and the list could go on. My point is that being Greek has given me and many others the opportunity throughout college to work together for a common goal. Isn't that what the "real world" is all about? In my personal opinion, being Greek has been more beneficial for me than anything else I've done in my life thus far. By the time I graduate I will have almost 4 years of "real world" experience working in my career field and about the same being involved in Greek life serving on different boards and committees - the two paired together sound like a dynamic duo if you ask me. 

Greek Statistics

7. "Greeks don't care about their grades" - Each chapter sets a GPA minimum that each member must at least maintain to remain active in their chapter. In addition, each chapter sets a minimum amount of study hours that must be completed each semester. Greeks are serious about their grades and it shows as statistics have proven that individuals in Greek life have, on average, .15 grade point markings higher than those who are not affiliated with Greek life.

8. "Greeks have no respect for their universities or community" - Each chapter sets a minimum amount of philanthropy hours that must be completed each semester in order to maintain active membership. Those philanthropic endeavors can be completed either on campus, in the community, or on a regional level. We strive to give back to what surrounds us as much as possible.

Kappa Tau Epsilon sisters participating in Tau Kappa Epsilon's Zombie Run For Reagan Philanthropy Event

Campus rep Brooke Benson and her littles at Leigh Valley's Kidney Walk

Panhellenic Women from Central Michigan University volunteering at a mobile food pantry - featuring one of our campus reps, Lucie Sertich

9. " Greeks live and breath by Total Frat Move (TFM) and Total Sorority Move (TSM)" - Both websites are intended for fun and fun only. What is stated on those websites are by no means what each person in Greek life lives by. 

10. "Greeks act like they love each other but really they all hate each other" - I can't speak for everyone at every university but I'll speak for the Greeks at my university. My university has a small Greek population with three IFC Fraternities and three NPC Sororities making us a very tight knit bunch. I'll share a short, tragic story from this past year to hopefully give you a better idea of just how close we all are. Within a matter of two weeks a Tau Kappa Epsilon alumni passed away and a brother of Phi Kappa Tau lost his battle with cancer. This hit our community hard, not because we all knew the individuals or because we were very close with either of the gentlemen but because they're part of our Greek family. I've never been more proud to say I belong to a group of people than I was in that moment when we all came together to support and help those suffering the most from the losses. The best way that I could possibly explain it is we're like literal brothers and sisters, we may have disagreements and not see eye to eye but at the end of the day we're always there for each other. 

Saginaw Valley State University Greek Life Fall 2013

The point I'm attempting to make is that being involved with Greek life is much more than what it's "cracked" up to be. This goes back to how the media portrays Greek life because from an outside perspective, that is really all you see. Do a lot of girls and guys in Greek organizations fit the "stereotype", sure but a lot of girls and guys who are NOT in Greek life also fit the "stereotype". Not every chapter is a cookie cutter and not every organization is 100% perfect, nothing in life ever is. Along with all the decorated paddles, the mixers, and the formals there is hard work, dedication, and integrity that goes in to being Greek. If you're considering going Greek I strongly encourage it because I can promise it will be one of the most rewarding things you ever do in life. If you're not, I hope this post helped to debunk some of the common misconceptions associated with Greek life.

XOX & LP,
Kaitlyn

Sorority Girl Dorm Packing List

No amount of Bed, Bath and Beyond dorm checklists could prepare me for the craziness that is dorm room shopping... especially as a sorority girl. I think it is a given that sorority girls can craft (or in my case, attempt to craft), so it is assumed that we all have cute rooms. I wish that were true for me. Nevertheless, there are a few things that we as Greek women (or future Greek women) could really use in our rooms to help tackle our daily tasks and make it feel more like a home. Some of these essentials being:

Monogram letters. Monogram letters are the perfect addition to any dorm room! You can order them online through Etsy in a variety of sizes. All you have to do is order the wood and paint to match your color scheme. They're easy to buy, easy to paint can spice up the look of your room. If you're looking for a more squared style, you can also get a variety of letters from any local craft store.

A crafting box. Fill it with paints, paintbrushes, and of course ModPodge. A crafting box is perfect for when you are making things for Big/Little, Big appreciation week, or just a random gift for a sister! It's also a great way to keep things organized and optimize space in a small area. You can purchase a carrier (like this one from Michael's) or just use a Rubbermaid container.

Shower shoes. These are a must if you're unlucky enough to have a community bathroom. Invest in a pair that is nice and durable. My favorites are from J. Crew, but Old Navy and Walmart always have reliable flip flops. This route is nice because, since you're not spending much, you can throw them out and get a new pair every few months.

Dorm bedding. This is a must since most dorm beds are shaped differently than most mattresses and require special sizing. Luckily, there are tons of places that have XL twin comforter sets that come with a pillow case, sheets, and comforter. Some of these places including Pbteen.com, Target, and Walmart! They are affordable and are specially made to fit the XL mattresses that are in most dorms.

A planner. Many would say a Lilly Planner would be the "sorority girl" thing to own, but there are many options out there that have great detailing and plenty of space for all of your notes. My favorite planner is by PlumPaperDesign on Etsy! If you can't tell, I buy practically everything online. My favorite planner design is pictured below, and you can even personalize the colors and name featured on it. It is perfect for the busy life of a sorority girl and has plenty of room to write everyday activities in.

Decor, decor, decor. Besides the monogram letters, you're going to want to personalize your dorm room. Whether it be picture frame collages, lights, a string with clothespins to hang pictures on, and more. There's so many different things you can add to your room to make it your own. My favorite thing that I put up in my dorm last year is my picture frame collage. When you're homesick and missing your friends, they'll always be there! It's a great place to show off your memories. 

Trash cans. These are easily overlooked and forgotten. Where else are you going to put your trash? I found the image below online and it comes complete with a DIY guide on how to decorate your own designer trashcan (to view the guide click here!). You can buy one super cheap and customize it to your liking!

I have learned along the way what is worth it to bring to college and what's not and I love hearing other people's college dorm packing lists! I hope this helped a bit in your adventure to college. Let us know what  your must-haves for your dorm are!

LILP & XOXi,

Kelsey